Marcelo Mammana
I
was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and started to dive when I was about
thirteen years old. I got certified many years later.
I
never took a picture until I was underwater. My surface images came later, when
the magazines started to ask me to shoot some, to complement the subaquatic
ones.
I
am a self-taught photographer. My first roll
was a perfect 36 plain blue images... the lab guy asked me if they were
"test" photos ("sure" I said :) )... I still got them and
blue is still my favourite color.
I've
dived in Patagonia, Brazil, the Caribbean and Antarctica.
I
used a Nikonos V system for many years, and still consider it one of the best
photographic tools I've ever used. I moved to digital when I begun my
Antarctica trips.
I
love black and white images, and I mostly used that film for big mammals and
wrecks.
After
pursuing my dream for many years, I could finally go to Antarctica, where I
spent two entire years (2007 and 2009), and could make my most memorable dives,
along and inside big icebergs, under the frozen sea. I have even directed a
short film that run 2nd in an international film fest.
I
am currently working on a book series, and researching for my next antarctic
dives.
I
need to be underwater. It is difficult to explain, but for some reason, I find
peace in that silent and sometimes dark world.